Pruritus (Itchiness) in Cats

Digg

Del.icio.us

Stumble

Pruritus (Itchiness) in Cats

By: Dr. Mark Thompson

Pages 1

3 4

Section: Information In-depth

See Larger Image

Related Diseases

Many skin diseases can cause or can contribute to pruritus. Every cat has a threshold of pruritus. When the nerves of the skin are stimulated by mediators of inflammation to a level below that threshold, the cat will not scratch. Scratching begins when the stimulation exceeds that threshold. It is common to see cats with two or more skin conditions that cause pruritus concurrently. For example, a cat with a mild allergy to house dust mites may be below the threshold but may begin to scratch severely when he becomes infested with fleas.

Allergic Skin Diseases

Flea allergy is the most common allergic skin disease in the United States. Cats with flea allergy tend to scratch their back ends leading to lesions on the rump, hind legs, tail and belly. Since it takes just one flea to make the cat react, the presence of fleas on the cat may be minimal to absent.

Atopy is a reaction to airborne allergens such as pollens, house dust, house dust mites and molds. Cats with atopy tend to scratch their ears and face and tend to chew and lick at their feet. The condition is often worse during summer months when pollen and mold levels are increased.

Food allergy is a reaction to one or more ingredients in their food. These cats tend to scratch in the same places as those with atopy.

Insect allergies (insect bite hypersensitivity) are less common than other allergies. Lesions are evident in areas where insects such as mosquitoes are likely to bite (bridge of nose, ears).

Contact allergy is a reaction to an irritant that touches the skin, often the belly or chest. Allergies of this type are rare.

Parasitic Skin Diseases

Scabies is an intensely pruritic skin condition caused by the sarcoptic mange mite. Lesions are seen on the ears, elbows and hocks (ankles).

Demodectic mange is caused by the demodex mite. This is usually a disease of young cats and causes dramatic hair loss and dermatitis. This disease is often not pruritic, but can lead to a secondary bacterial infection of the skin (pyoderma) which may be itchy.

Fleas can cause pruritus in cats that are not flea allergic, although the degree of pruritus is less severe.

Cheyletiellosis is an itchy skin condition caused by the cheyletiella mite. Lesions are usually most dramatic along the top of the back. These mites are sometimes visible to the naked eye as small, moving, white specks, hence the name "walking dandruff mite".

Lice are small insects that are easily seen with the naked eye that can cause pruritus.

Ear mites cause itching of the ears in cats and can sometimes cause itching elsewhere on the body.

There are many other causes of pruritus, including secondary bacterial skin infections (pyoderma) and secondary yeast infections.

Pages 1

3 4

Printable Version

Digg

Del.icio.us

Stumble

Share this Article with a Friend Email To:

Have a Pet Question?

Send Your Pet Question to Dr. Jon
and His Staff of Veterinarians

Dr. Jon's Newsletter

Yes! Send Me the Latest Health Information, Pet Tips, Pet Stories and more...

Search Over 15,000 articles

1 Flea Allergy Dermatitis in Cats
Flea allergy dermatitis is the most common allergy in cats and is caused by flea bites, specifically the saliva of the flea. It is a very itchy disease and predisposes to the development of secondary skin...
Read More
2 Sarcoptic Mange in Cats
Sarcoptic mange (also known as scabies) is a highly contagious disease caused by microscopic mites that invade the skin of healthy cats and kittens and create a variety of skin problems.
Read More
3 Atopy in Cats
Atopy is a pruritic (itchy) skin disease of animals that is caused by an allergy to substances in the environment. It can be difficult to diagnose in cats and, therefore, is probably under-diagnosed.
Read More
4 Food Allergy in Cats
Most pets develop allergies to food ingredients that they have been fed for a long time, usually more than two years. In fact, if your cat has an immediate adverse reaction to a new food, it is probably...
Read More
5 Notoedric Mange
Notoedric mange is a highly contagious disease in cats that is spread by direct contact. It is caused by a mite and is characterized by severe pruritus (itching); infested cats can cause significant...
Read More

Over 10,000 Veterinarian Approved Articles

Dogs & Puppies

Dog Breeds

labrador retriever, golden retriever, yorkshire terriers, german shepherds, beagle, boxers

Dog Medication

dog allergy medication, dog pain medication, dog anxiety medication, dog flea medication

Dog Products

dog bowls, dog crates, dog toys, dog beds, dog ramps, dog food storage, dog tags

Dog Symptoms

dog vomiting, dog limping, dog diarrhea, dog bad breath, dog coughing, dog seizures

Dog Health

dog cancer, dog diabetes, dog epilepsy, dog hip dysplasia, dog health, sick dog

Dog Care

dog vaccination, dog microchipping, dog grooming, dog neutering, dog spaying, dogs mating

Dog Training

dog aggression, dog barking, dog chewing, dog behavior, dog jumping, dog whisperer

Dog Pictures

puppy pictures, funny dogs, cute dogs, dog breeds, sleeping dogs, silly dogs, small dogs

Cats

Cat Breeds

persian, siamese cats, devon rex, ragdoll cats, sphynx, maine coon cat

Cat Medication

cat flea medication, cat heartworm control, cat tick medications

Cat Products

cat litter box, cat food, cat bed, cat flea collar, cat carrier, cat urine odor

Cat Symptoms

cat vomiting, cat limping, cat diarrhea, cat bad breath, cat coughing

Cat Health

cat health, cat liver cancer, cat diabetes, cat scratch fever, cat aids, sick cat

Cat Care

cat vaccination, cat grooming, cat microchipping, cat neutering, cat spaying

Cat Behavior

cat urine marking, cat furniture scratching, cat litterbox training, cat toilet training, cat fears

Cat Pictures

cute cats, funny cats, playful cats, fat cats, jumping cats, lazy cats, sleeping cats, cute kittens

1 Notoedric Mange
Notoedric mange is a highly contagious disease in cats that is spread by direct contact. It is caused by a mite and is characterized by severe pruritus (itching); infested cats can cause significant...
Read More
2 Sarcoptic Mange in Cats
Sarcoptic mange (also known as scabies) is a highly contagious disease caused by microscopic mites that invade the skin of healthy cats and kittens and create a variety of skin problems.
Read More
3 Atopy in Cats
Atopy is a pruritic (itchy) skin disease of animals that is caused by an allergy to substances in the environment. It can be difficult to diagnose in cats and, therefore, is probably under-diagnosed.
Read More
4 Flea Allergy Dermatitis in Cats
Flea allergy dermatitis is the most common allergy in cats and is caused by flea bites, specifically the saliva of the flea. It is a very itchy disease and predisposes to the development of secondary skin...
Read More
5 Food Allergy in Cats
Most pets develop allergies to food ingredients that they have been fed for a long time, usually more than two years. In fact, if your cat has an immediate adverse reaction to a new food, it is probably...
Read More

Pruritus (Itchiness) in Cats

Pruritus (Itchiness) in Cats

Related Articles

Over 10,000 Veterinarian Approved Articles